photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Station No. 2, near 23rd and Harper, is pictured on July 5, 2023.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical will be hosting an event next week to hear from the public about the department’s expansion with a new fire station in northwest Lawrence.

The department will be hosting a listening session in the Tom Wilkerson Room at the Lawrence Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 5. Members of the public will have the opportunity to meet the project team, learn about the new fire station dubbed “Station 6”, ask questions and share what matters most about their neighborhood.

As the Journal-World reported, the location of Station 6 is 555 Stoneridge Drive. The site currently houses a water tower and is near the intersection of Sixth Street and George Williams Way. Lawrence city commissioners and Douglas County commissioners approved the location site in September.

The building will be 12,983 square feet and it will be designed to feature several office spaces, three drive-thru bays, 10 private bunks, four toilets and showers, a kitchen/dining/dayroom area and more.

The total estimated cost for Station 6 is $12.9 million and the city and county are planning to share the expense, with the city covering 64% and the county contributing 36% — the same funding ratio used for LDCFM operations under their shared governance agreement.

The city will be finalizing the design of Station 6 in 2026, with construction set to begin in 2027. The fire station is expected to be fully operational by 2028.